1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a securing device for transporting and mounting a measuring instrument for the determination of the position of two components which are movable in relation to each other.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Such a securing device is designed and intended for use with a measuring instrument having a longitudinally-extending measuring graduation, a support body supporting the measuring graduation, a scanning device, which scans the measuring graduation and is guided along a measuring direction at a defined distance from the measuring graduation, as well as a mounting base for fastening the scanning device on one of the two components which are movable with respect to each other. The two components which are movable with respect to each other can be, for example, a carriage and the associated base of a machine tool. The support body with the measuring graduation, on the one hand, and the mounting base with the scanning device on the other are respectively fastened on one of the components of the machine tool.
In this case the securing device is used for fixing the measuring instrument in a defined position (desired position) on the support body of the measuring instrument during transport and during mounting the measuring instrument. To this end the securing device includes a base body, which can be shifted in the longitudinal direction along a guide track of the support body of the securing device extending in the measuring direction (together with the mounting base of the scanning device), and which can be fixed in place on the support body by clamping forces in such a way that it maintains the mounting base in the desired position with respect to the support body.
A securing device for transporting and mounting of a measuring instrument of the type mentioned at the outset is known from DE 199 18 654 A1.This securing device has at least one base body, which can be shifted in the longitudinal direction along a guide track of the support body, as well as a guide element, which is releasably connected with the base body, engages the guide track of the support body in a positive manner and, together with the base body of the securing device, can be clamped in place on the support body of the measuring graduation in order to maintain the mounting base in a defined desired position on the support body during transporting and mounting the measuring instrument. An operating element in the form of an attachment screw is used for introducing the clamping forces, by which the securing device can be clamped in place on the support body of the measuring graduation. Its screw head is arranged on the face of the base body of the securing device facing away from the support body and is intended to be operated by a tool.
In connection with a securing device of the type mentioned, known from DE 101 09 909 A1, it has been provided for making the accessibility of the operating element used for releasing the securing device easier after the measuring instrument has been installed in a machine tool in that an actuating section of the operating element (for example an attachment screw) projects laterally past the lateral edge of the base body of the securing device at least at a time when the base body has been clamped in place on the support body, so that the actuating section of the operating element can be operated at the side of the base body for introducing and/or releasing the clamping force.
It can be seen that different designs, as well as different installation situations, of a measuring instrument in a machine tool can lead to different conditions under which the securing device has to be removed from the measuring instrument after it has been installed in it in order to allow the shifting of the scanning device together with the mounting base along the support body supporting the measuring graduation in the course of operating the measuring instrument.